Full Breakdown
Steve Maslow, Three-Time Oscar-Winning Re-Recording Mixer, Dies at 81
4/29/2026, 2:27:01 AM
Steve Maslow’s Passing and Career Overview
Steve Maslow died on April 27, 2026, of cancer in West Hills, California, at age 81. The Cinema Audio Society confirmed the death. Maslow’s career spanned more than five decades, during which he mixed sound for dozens of films and music projects.
From Music Roadie to Hollywood Sound Maestro
Born October 17, 1944, in Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley, Maslow left college after a friend—who was the keyboard player for the “Incense and Peppermints” band Strawberry Alarm Clock—invited him to join a road crew for Mark Weitz. He became a recording engineer, contributing to the Four Seasons’ 1976 hit “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” and A Taste of Honey’s “Boogie Oogie Oogie.” After the music work slowed, he obtained an IATSE card and was hired by Samuel Goldwyn Studio, where he remained for roughly fifteen years. Maslow also worked on several concert films and rock documentaries, beginning with The Band’s *The Last Waltz* (1978), and later mixed music documentaries for The Who, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Prince, and Michael Jackson.
Awards, Nominations, and Notable Filmography
Maslow earned three Oscars for his work on *The Empire Strikes Back* (1980), *Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981) and *Speed* (1994). He received additional Oscar nominations for *Dune* (1984), *Waterworld* (1995), *Twister* (1996) and *U-571* (2000). His broader credits include *More American Graffiti*, *Ordinary People*, *Poltergeist*, *Airplane II: The Sequel*, *Gremlins*, *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*, *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, *Edward Scissorhands*, *Batman Returns*, *The Conjuring* and *Mad Max: Fury Road*.
Official Statements & Responses
The Cinema Audio Society confirmed the death. His surviving family members are his wife, Ronna, and son, Travis.
Verbatim Quotes
> “Everybody else had a goal but me,” — Steve Maslow, 2018 MPSE CineMontage interview
> “I went to a birthday party at the house of Mark Weitz, who asked me if I wanted to go on the road with them as their equipment roadie.” — Steve Maslow, 2018 interview
> “That started to dry up for me.” — Steve Maslow, reflecting on his early music work
> “Samuel Goldwyn Studio called me shortly thereafter,” — Steve Maslow, 2018 interview
> “I was in college because I thought it was the thing to do, and it kept me out of the draft.” — Steve Maslow, 2018 interview
Legacy in Film Sound
Maslow’s mixes appear in films such as *The Empire Strikes Back*, *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, *Speed*, *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*, *The Conjuring* and *U-571*.
No Discrepancies Noted
All source material agrees on Maslow’s death date, cause, and career milestones; no conflicting reports were identified.
